Animal



(No Model.) E L MGCLAIN lANI'MAL TRAP- No' 454657' Patented June 23, 1891.

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i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEo EDIVARD L. vMCCLAN, OF GREENFIELD, OHIO.

ANIMALrTRAP'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 454,657, dated June 23, 1891.y

Application tiled February 7, 1891.

.To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. MCCLAIN, a

4citizen of the United States, residing at Greeniield, in the county of Highland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Animal- Traps; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, which form part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an animal-trap trigger that can be readily and securely set and yet be free to go off the instant the bait is meddled with, the details of said trigger and its mode of operation being hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section showing my improved trigger applied to a trap having a hinged standard, which latter is seen in the actoff being turned down to engage with a spring bow or choker. Fig. 2 is a similar section, but showing the trap set and the standard restored to its normal or vertical position.

The base or stationary member A of the trap, together with the hinged standard B and spring bow or choker C, being the same as described in Letters Patent No. 431,122, granted to me July 1, 1890, require no further explanation in this specification.

D represents a vertical groove cut in the center of standard B and terminating at bottom with a bait-pit E, a pivot F being placed transversely of said groove and near its upper end to support both the trigger G and bait-hook H. 1 is an extension of i this hook above saidpivot, and J is a shoulder or stop or other bearing of the trigger for said hook to press against when the bait is meddled with.

K is a spring having one end properly secured to the base A and being so coupled to the standard by a staple L as to preserve said standard in its normal or erect position, the choker or bow O being now in contact with said base, as seen in Fig. 2. Furthermore, in this normal position of the trap the bait-hook H hangs freely from the pivot F, and the trigger G is at liberty to engage Serial No. 380,597. (No model.)

with the bow C as soon as the standard B is pressed forward and down. This act is accomplished by exerting sufticientforce against the upper or free end of said standard, and as it swings forward the extension l of the bait-hook bears against the back of groove D, as seen in Fig. 1. Consequently said hook is preserved in such an inclined position as to prevent its lower end coming in contact with the base A, and thereby stopping the downward swing of standard B. The latter is accordingly pressed down until the trigger G automatically engages with the center of choker O, and pressure then being removed the spring K at once restores said standard to its erect position. The trap is now properly set, and the very instant an animal meddles with the bait and pulls the lower end of hook H forward said hook presses against the bearing J of trigger G and immediately disengages it from the bow or choker, theresult being the prompt descent of the latter and the imprisonment of the intruder between said choker and the base A. From this description. it is apparent the trigger is automatically set without any special manipulation or handling, and after being set it is disengaged so as to spring the trap by the exertion of a very little force against the bait -hook, the peculiar arrangement of the latter being such as to enable it to bring considerable leverage to bear against the trigger. The invention, however, is not limited to traps having hinged standards; but may be used with equal advantage and sometimes with greater advantage in those traps whose standards project rigidly from the base or other stationary part of the structure.

I claim as my invention- 1. An animal-trap standard or support provided with a pivot near the upper end thereof, a bait-hook and trigger hung upon said pivot, and a shoulder or bearing on said trigger, which bearing is in front of and below said pivot, for the purpose described.

2. An animal-trap standard or support B, provided with a pivot F near the upper end thereof, a bait-hook H, having an extension 1I, and a trigger Grljhalving L bearing J, said groove and hung upon said pivot, for the purhook and trigger being hung upon said pivot pose described.

' IO F, for the purpose herein described. In testimony whereof Iafx my signature in 3. In an animal-trap, the standard B, hswpresence of two Witnesses. 5 ing aJ vertical groove D and transverse pivot EDW'ARD L. MCGLAIN.

F, the bait-hook H.,l having an extension I, vWitnesses:

and the trigger G, having a bearing J, said A. E. MCOLAIN, hook and trigger being housed Within said J. C. STRAIN. 

